Mental Health Resources
Experiencing stress, a change in habits, or just need to talk things out?
There are many resources that exist, including several 24/7 options.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES - 911
If the situation is potentially life-threatening to yourself or others, get immediate emergency assistance by calling 911, available 24 hours a day.
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE - 1‑800‑273‑TALK (8255)
If you or someone you know is suicidal or in emotional distress, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Trained crisis workers are available to talk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your confidential and toll-free call goes to the nearest crisis center in the Lifeline national network. These centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals.
NAMI INFORMATION HELPLINE - 1 (800) 950-NAMI (6264)
The Information HelpLine is an information and referral service which can be reached by calling 1 (800) 950-NAMI (6264), Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.- 8 p.m., EST. or by emailing info@nami.org.
General Resources
MentalHealth.gov | www.mentalhealth.gov
A resource page from Health and Human Services, including brief primers on various mental health illnesses and linking to resources available.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) | WWW.NIMH.NIH.GOV
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) offers resources as well as links to finding treatment, including participating in various clinical trials.
American Psychological Association | locator.apa.org
American Psychological Association’s provider locator.
Psychology Today | psychologytoday.com
Provides articles, resources, and information, as well as a robust directory of providers, including for substance abuse, psychiatrists, and support groups. The directory is searchable by location, insurance provider, areas of specialty/types of therapy, and demographics served.
National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network | www.nqttcn.com
Network for queer and trans therapists of color, featuring a directory searchable by location if you are looking for a therapist who identifies as a QTPoC therapist.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA and NIHM offer a resource to search for local treatment providers for behavioral health and substance abuse treatment based on your zip code.
SAMHSA also offers a 24/7 hotline to discuss issues you or a friend are experiencing, as well as provide referrals to local supports. Free and confidential information in English and Spanish for individuals and family members facing substance abuse and mental health issues. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) | 1-800-487-4889 (TDD)
Not interested in therapy but just looking for a little support?
There are a variety of practices you can access for free from the comfort of your own home to support one’s mental health and well-being. Mindfulness involves being aware in the present moment with the help of breathing, meditation, movement, and other techniques. Regular mindfulness practices have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as can help with conditions such as insomnia, depression, and reducing heart rate and blood pressure. Many mindfulness practices are also rooted in Buddhist and Hindu traditions, and have been adapted for a wide variety of evidence-based treatments.
Cambridge Health Alliance in conjunction with Harvard Medical School offer free daily virtual mindfulness practices, including a POC practice and LGBT+ community group. Recordings of practices and seminars are also available for free upon sign-up.
This website is tailored specifically to teens who are interested in trying mindfulness techniques, and also offers a page of resources and try-it-at-home links, including to several apps that can help in guided meditation/mindfulness practice.
South Asian Mental Health Resources
FREE NAMI Asian Support Group
Free twice a month support group for people who identify as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and are living with mental illness or any mental health challenge via Zoom. This includes South Asians, East Asians, Southeast Asians, North Asians, Middle East Asians, and Pacific Islanders. 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month, 6pm to 7:30pm ET via Zoom.
NATIONWIDE ORGANIZATIONS
www.southasiantherapists.org
Directory of South Asian therapists around the world, searchable by zip code.
My Mantra | mymantrawellness.com
My Mantra offers free/low-cost emotional and career coaching, classes including in yoga, meditation, dance, and cooking, and peer-support group spaces including on topics of LGBTQ+ identity, South Asian dating, grief, and beauty standards.
MannMukti | www.mannmukti.org
MannMukti is an org dedicated to encouraging healthy, open dialogue of mental health issues in an effort to remove stigma, improve awareness and promote self-care, especially within the South Asian community. They offer a variety of resources and infographics as well as a large community forum. They also have a nifty list of resources by faith.
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) | saalt.org
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) offers a downloadable factsheet on health-care issues that South Asian Americans face, with a section of resources
SAKHI for south Asian Women | www.sakhi.org | 212-868-6741
Sakhi is originally a NY-based organization dedicated to ending violence against women in South Asian communities and supporting women through advocacy and community services
Sakhi also features a list of women’s resources across states and municipalities.
Saheli Boston | saheliboston.org
Saheli is a Boston-based group dedicated to supporting South Asian women and their families. This resource page includes a variety of helpful sub-topics such as immigration, domestic violence, gay men, and legal issues.
The South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA) | joinsapha.org
The South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA) is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of South Asians and the communities in which they live within the United States.
The Asian American Psychological Association| aapaonline.org
The Asian American Psychological Association features a Division on South Asian Americans, committed to understanding social, emotional, political, and personal influences affecting South Asians in psychology and creating a forum to impact change for the betterment of South Asian mental health.
SAMHAJ (understanding mental health)
Samhaj provides support including multilingual workshops, training, and in-person/online support groups sponsored by NAMI. These groups seek to support people with mental illness and their loved ones, with a specific focus on the growing South Asian population in New Jersey. Local provider listings and educational materials are also available.
SOUTH ASIAN NETWORK (SAN) | southasiannetwork.org
SAN (South Asian Network) is a community based organization dedicated to advancing the health, well being, and civil rights of South Asians in Southern California. They offer programs including free and reduced-fee counseling and CHAI, the Community Health Action Initiative.
Counselors Helping [South] Asian Indians (CHAI) | probonocounseling.org/special_programs/CHAI
CHAI (Counselors Helping [South] Asian Indians) provides outreach, referrals, and education related to mental health and wellness to the South Asian community in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. You can call (443) 615-1355 for a free referral.
South Asian Mental Health Initiative & Network (SAMHIN) | samhin.org
SAMHIN (South Asian Mental Health Initiative & Network) is based in New Jersey and offers a variety of resources, including a provider directory, South Asian Alcoholics Anonymous and suicide survivor groups (currently meeting online), and a free, confidential helpline.
Call the HelpLine: 732-902-2561Hours: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Eastern dailyLOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
South Asian Mental Health Alliance | samhaa.org
The South Asian Mental Health Alliance (SAMHAA) is a non-profit community network based in British Columbia, Canada engaging, educating and mobilizing the BC South Asian community around issues related to mental health.
SOCH Mental Health | www.sochmentalhealth.com
SOCH is a mental health promotion initiative started by two registered nurses from Brampton, Canada tailored at providing the South Asian community with awareness, skills, and knowledge about mental health. Their programming includes a focus on mental health, addiction, and Sikh communities, including a variety of events and support groups.
HEALTHTALK | www.healthtalk.org
HealthTalk is a UK organization that shares information and health resources for both adults and teens, and also has a great section on mental health experiences for ethnic minorities, including individualized suggestions and a variety of videos and interviews. Specialty topics include complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and mental health through the lens of religion and spirituality in non-Western cultures.
ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE THE USA
Youth Resources
ok2talk | www.Ok2talk.org | 1-800-273-TALK
A page for self-expression for teens and young adults encountering mental health struggles, with an accompanying 24/7 hotline.
Active Minds | activeminds.org
Active Minds is an organization with branches at colleges and universities across the country with a mission to “break down the stigma associated with mental health and increasing help-seeking among college students.”
Read up on how to start a chapter at your own university.
Active Minds also offers a page on how to approach a conversation about mental health with a friend if there’s someone in your life that you’re concerned about.
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH | teenmentalhealth.org
A Canadian website offers education, resources, and toolboxes for helpful topics including a “Could my Parent Be/Have...” series for helping loved ones with mental issues as a teen.